The FAA has just announced that it is grounding nearly 200 Boeing 737s after part of the fuselage blew out mid-flight last night over Portland, Oregan.
Here’s the announcement:
The FAA is requiring immediate inspections of certain Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes before they can return to flight.
Safety will continue to drive our decision-making as we assist the @NTSB’s investigation into Alaska Airlines Flight 1282. – @FAA_Mike pic.twitter.com/YsuQimg2pq
— The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) January 6, 2024
According to CNN’s Pete Muntean, this photo was taken by passenger Kyle Rinker, who said “it was really abrupt, just got to altitude and the window/wall just popped off.”
NEW IMAGE from on board Alaska Airlines 1282 after ***part of the fuselage*** blew out mid-flight. Successful emergency return to Portland after 20 minutes in the air. 10-week-old (!) Boeing 737 Max 9. NTSB investigating. pic.twitter.com/qjX8fQ1br1
— Pete Muntean (@petemuntean) January 6, 2024
Below is video from overnight of the the wall being gone:
🚨#BREAKING: Alaska Airlines Forced to Make an Emergency Landing After Large Aircraft Window Blows Out Mid-Air ⁰⁰📌#Portland | #Oregon
⁰A Forced emergency landing was made of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 at Portland International Airport on Friday night. The flight, traveling… pic.twitter.com/nt0FwmPALE— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) January 6, 2024
Thankfully no one got injured from the airplane literally falling apart. I just wonder how many people warned that this could happen at Boeing and got ignored. That’s normally the case with something like this, but this is my own speculation. We’ll see as things pan out.